Muslim/Muslim ticket: US based Nigerian Cleric slams Gov. Akeredolu for ‘wrong, opportunistic’ plea; Insists, nothing justifies ticket

A United States of America (USA) – based Cleric, Bishop Samuel Ayeni has condemned “in its entirety” Governor of Ondo State, Rotimi Akeredolu’s justification of the All Progressives Congress (APC)’s adoption of a Muslim-Muslim ticket for the 2023 presidential election, and plea that Christians should accept it.

Bishop Ayeni, the President, Nigerian Faith-Based Community Organization, New Jersey, USA, described the ticket as morally reprehensible, an injustice to Christians in the country and an insult to all people of goodwill, not just believers, insisting that it will not augur well for the country.

Governor Akeredolu is said to have made the statement at the Holy Ghost Convention Dinner of The Sword of the Spirit Ministries, held at the International Conference Centre, University of Ibadan, Agbowo, Ibadan, Oyo State recently.

The cleric also condemned as unstatesmanlike Akeredolu’s resort to base ethnic sentiments. He said: “The Governor should stop the emotional blackmail of saying that it (the presidency) is coming to the South West. Fairness, equity and justice is the only language our people will understand. We cannot have peace without fairness and justice in a truly united country that we all desire.”

He noted that “any same-faith ticket is a vote against fairness, justice and equity. It should be rejected by all and sundry in the interest of national unity,” noting that “It will only succeed in further polarizing the already fractured nation along ethnic and religious lines,” stressing that “the adoption of the same religion ticket is a lost opportunity to unite the nation, not a gain in any way.”

Bishop Ayeni equally noted that beyond politics, the same faith ticket will encourage the type of impunity that led to the massacre of worshippers in a Catholic Church in Owo, the governor’s own state.

Full text of the statement reads:

GOV AKEREDOLU IS WRONG, HIS PLEA OPPORTUNISTIC, NOTHING JUSTIFIES A MUSLIM-MUSLIM TICKET

It is with disappointment that I read the comments attributed to Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State last Sunday where the Governor was quoted to have justified the choice of a Muslim-Muslim ticket by his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and begged Christians to accept the injustice.

According to a statement made available to journalists in Akure, the State capital by his Chief Press Secretary, Richard Olatunde, Governor Akeredolu spoke at the Holy Ghost Convention Dinner of The Sword of the Spirit Ministries, held at the International Conference Centre, University of Ibadan, Agbowo, Ibadan, Oyo State.

This is not the kind of statement that is expected from a Governor expected to be a statesman, not to mention one who is the Chairman of the Southern Governors’ Forum.

We condemn in its entirety Governor Akeredolu’s statements and cannot accept such an opportunistic plea he made at the event. A Muslim-Muslim ticket does not augur well for the country. That the governor made such comments using such a prestigious gathering of notable clerics to justify the Muslim Muslim ticket exposes not only the desperation of the backers of this act of iniquity but also a form of unmitigated insult on all people of goodwill, not just believers.

The Governor’s statement was not in good faith and is unfortunate. We are disappointed.

That the APC presidential ticket has gone to the South West does not justify the morally reprehensible choice of a Muslim-Muslim ticket. The play by the governor on competence over religion is simply a smokescreen.

The Muslim-Muslim ticket has no gain for the South, South West, and indeed the entire country unlike the governor’s claim attempting to provoke some southern affinity. It will only succeed in further polarizing the already fractured nation along ethnic and religious lines. The adoption of the same religion ticket is a lost opportunity to unite the nation, not a gain in any way.

Governor Akeredolu has rightly won praise over his championing of the Amotekun issue for the protection and safety of people in the South West. But he should not use the Muslim-Muslim ticket to play the ethnic card. He may see himself as an ethnic champion for the Yoruba people, but Nigeria needs statesmen who can speak truth to their own ethnic and religious groups.

Such a myopic view of issues such as the propagation of a Muslim-Muslim ticket in a multi-ethnic and multi-religious country like Nigeria, won’t lead to national transformation. Moreover, should we allow such disdain for Christianity in politics, especially now when the whole world is preaching the gospel of inclusion? The answer is NO. Any same-faith ticket is a vote against fairness, justice and equity. It should be rejected by all and sundry in the interest of national unity.

We cannot continue to think of our dear country Nigeria in purely ethnic terms where a gain for one section is promoted when there are better nationalistic options. Such would not lead to the wholesome development we desire as a people. This is because a society that encourages fairness, justice and equity, is one that can carry all tribes and religions together and have a common goal of unity. The morality of justice and fairness is what should drive our politics not sectional or ethnic interest. Unity cannot thrive in a secluded society, which the same faith ticket sadly promotes. What would the Governor then say to the people in the North if the APC presidential and vice-presidential candidates were only from the South or South West? What gospel would he preach to them on the need for inclusion?

As a Christian, Governor Akeredolu is familiar with the Bible. Paul, speaking in the book of Galatians, said “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”

This scripture is a reminder to the Governor. Paul was speaking about the need for inclusion of all ethnic groups as one and encouraging unity in the body of Christ. Excluding Christians out of the presidential equation in a plural society like Nigeria bodes no good for anyone. It not only alienates Christians in politics, it rubbishes the notion of unity among tribes and religions in our country.

The Governor should stop the emotional blackmail of saying that it is coming to the South West. Fairness, equity and justice is the only language our people will understand. We cannot have peace without fairness and justice in a truly united country that we all desire.

Not only that, a Muslim-Muslim ticket pushes the perception of religious domination, where people of one faith are deemed ranked over another.

Beyond politics, it also encourages impunity such as the unfortunate incident of the Owo massacre in the Governor’s own state, which is still fresh in the mind of families of victims killed in cold blood.

In an already divided country across religious and ethnic lines, it is dangerous to tacitly encourage such perception. We cannot afford such impunity to precipitate similar incidents in the future.

A great Nigeria where there is equity and fairness is what we all desire, despite party, religious or ethnic affiliations. A Muslim-Muslim ticket does not support that notion of unity or inclusion.

In addition, it is widely believed that a major issue in Northern politics, where many are predominantly Muslim, is the religion. So, the experiment of a Muslim-Muslim ticket may further embolden the push for a more Islamic society, which would further alienate people of other faiths.

Nobody is throwing away the baby with the bathwater, what is wrong is wrong. There is no justification for it. The issue is not about competence, it is about justice and inclusion. A Muslim-Muslim ticket is not one that Nigeria needs now. There must be balance and equity, not just in politics but in every aspect of our national life.

-Bishop Samuel Ayeni- President, Nigerian Faith-Based Community Organization, New Jersey, USA